When universities are figuring out whom to admit for their freshman class, they have in mind an overall target number of students they will accept, but they also need to maintain a balance among colleges. For example, if a school could take 1000 students, but the 950 best applications they received all wanted to get into the biology department, they would have to limit the number of biology majors they would accept in favor of some lesser applicants wanting other majors, or they would end up without enough courses for the biology majors to take (and the faculty in other areas would have very little to do!). They also have to recognize that some people will change their majors, and that many will start at the university with an undeclared major, and will need to switch later on.

What this means for you is that it is probably true that you would find it easier to get into Cornell than into Maryland.

At most universities, you apply for a specific college within the university.

Both Maryland and Cornell have excellent engineering programs. However, the fact that Cornell accepts a higher percentage of applicants is meaningless. Maryland gets lots of applications from Maryland residents who are not qualified. Cornell gets fewer applications from unqualified students.

My instructor’s son graduated from Cornell university this year. He enjoyed the school. So go with Cornell university.